Alpha-olefin polymer compositions

ABSTRACT

A-OLEFIN POLYMER COMPOSITIONS CHARCTERIZED BY AFFORDING FILMS HAVING A LOW COEFFICIENT OF FRICTION, A LOW BLOCKING FORCE, AND NO BLOOMING HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED BY INCORPORATING THEREIN ABOUT 0.01 TO 5.0% BY WEIGHT OF AN AMIDE HAVING THE FORMULA:   R-NH-CO-R&#39;&#39;-OH   WHEREIN R IS AN ALKENYL RADICAL HAVING 18 TO ABOUT 22 CARBON ATOMS AND R&#39;&#39; IS A DIVALENT HYDROCARBON RADICAL CONTAINING 3 TO 15 CARBON ATOMS.

United States Patent Ofice Patented Mar. 7, 1972 3,647,738 a-OLEFINPOLYMER COMPOSITIONS George N. Foster, Somerville, N..I., assignor toUnion Carbide Corporation, New York, N.Y. N Drawing. Filed Nov. 3, 1970,Ser. No. 86,613

Int. Cl. C08k N44 US. Cl. 26032.6 13 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREot-Olefin polymer compositions characterized by affording films having alow coefiicient of friction, a low blocking force, and no blooming havebeen developed by incorporating therein about 0.01 to 5.0% by Weight ofan amide having the formula:

wherein R is an alkenyl radical having 18 to about 22 carbon atoms and Ris a divalent hydrocarbon radical containing 3 to carbon atoms.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention pertains to OL-OlCfiH polymerfilm forming compositions and in particular to those containing novelN-alkenyl hydroxy-substituted aliphatic acid amides.

A number of fatty acid amides and N-substituted fatty acid amides, aswell as hydroxylated derivatives of both have been employed in a-olefinpolymer compositions to impart high slip and low blockingcharacteristics to films prepared therefrom. As so often happens withpolymer formulations, a modification which solves one problemsimultaneously creates another. In the case of fatty acid amides whichimprove slip and/or blocking characteristics of a-olefin polymers theyusually also impart undesirable blooming characteristics at the minimumconcentrations at which these additives are used. Needless to say thiseffect renders such amide additives unsatisfactory for clear filmforming a-olefin polymer compositions.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a-olefin polymercompositions which can be fabricated into films having low blocking andno bloom characteristics and high slip properties, that is, a lowcoefiicient of friction.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a-olefin polymercompositions wherein the film properties enumerated in the preceedingparagraph exhibit themselves shortly after film formation that is withinthe first 24 hours following the film fabrication operation.

These and other objects will become apparent to those skilled in the artupon a reading of the disclosure which follows.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It has now been found that a-olefin polymercompositions attaining the objects of this invention can be obtained byblending therewith about 0.01 to 5.0% by weight of an amide having theformula:

wherein R is an alkenyl radical having 18 to about 22 carbon atoms and Ris a divalent hydrocarbon radical containing 3 to 15 carbon atoms.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The a-olefin polymers of this inventioninclude:

(1) Normally solid homopolymers and copolymers of olefinicallyunsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbons having the formula:

CH CH" wherein R" is hydrogen or an alkyl group containing 1 to about 8carbon atoms and having a density of about 0.88 to about 0.98;

(2) Normally solid ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymers containing about 1to 35% by weight of vinyl acetate copolymerized therein;

(3) Normally solid ethylene/acrylic acid copolymers containing about 1to 10% by weight of acrylic acid copolymerized therein;

(4) Normally solid ethylene/methacrylic acid copolymerized containingabout 1 to 10% by weight of methacrylic acid copolymerized therein;

(5) And normally solid ethylene/alkyl acrylate or methacrylatecopolymers containing about 1 to 35% by weight of alkyl acrylate ormethacrylate copolymerized therein wherein the alkyl group contains 1 toabout 6 carbon atoms.

The amides of this invention, some of which are novel composition ofmatter, can be prepared by reacting an alkenyl primary amine having 18to about 22 carbon atoms with the lactone of an hydroxy aliphatic acidcontaining 4 to about 16 carbon atoms. It is preferred to use lactonesof hydroxy aliphatic acids containing 4 to 6 carbon atoms. It is evenmore preferred to employ gammaabutyrolactone, delta valerolactone, orepsiloncaprolactone.

Preferred alkenyl amines include oleyl amine, ricinoleyl amine,petrose'linyl amine, vacenyl amine, gadoleyl amine, arachidonyl amine,S-eicosenyl amine, 5-docosenyl amine, cetoleyl amine, erucyl amine, andthe like. The preferred alkenyl amine is erucyl amine.

The homopolymers and copolymers of olefinically unsaturated aliphatichydrocarbons described above are at least partially crystallinepolymers. Of these it is preferred in the practice of this invention toemploy the homopolymers of which polyethylene having a density of about0.91 to about 0.96 and a melt index of about 0.01 to about 1000 dg./min.is most preferred. It is even more preferred to employ polyethylenehaving a melt index of about 0.01 to about dg./min. and still morepreferred to employ polyethylene having a melt index of about 0.1 toabout 10 dg./min.

Other homopolymers which can be used include: polypropylene,polybutene-l, poly(4-methylpentene-l) and the like.

Exemplary of the copolymers of olefinically unsaturated aliphatichydrocarbons which are preferred are ethylene-propylene copolymers,containing about 1 to about 99% by weight, based on the total copolymer,of propylene copolymerized therein, ethylene-butuene-l copolymerscontaining about 1 to about 99%, based on the total copolymer ofbutene-l copolymerized therein, ethylene-hexene-l copolymers containingabout 1 to about 99% by weight, based on the total copolymer of hexene-1 copolymerized therein and the like.

The homopolymers and copolymers of olefinically unsaturated aliphatichydrocarbons referred to above can be made by either free radicalcatalyzed high pressure techniques or anionic catalyzed low pressuretechniques known in the art and described in Crystalline Olefin PolymersPart I, by R.A.V. Ralf and K.W. Doak, Interscience Publishers, NYC 1965which is incorporated herein by reference.

The ethylene-acrylic acid interpolymers, ethylenemethacrylic acidinterpolymers, ethylene-vinyl acetate interpolymers, and ethylene-alkylacrylate methacrylate interpolymers of this invention can be made by thefree radical, random interpolymerization of ethylene with thecorresponding comonomer using methods well known in the art includingbulk, solution, aqueous suspension, nonaqueous dispersion, and emulsiontechniques in either batch or continuous processes.

The melt index of the ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymers of thisinvention can range from about 0.01 to 500 dg./min. with a rnge of about0.2 to 20 dg/min. being preferred. These ethylene-vinyl acetatecopolymers preferably contain about 1.5 to about 20% by weight of vinylacetate copolymerized therein.

The melt index of the ethylene-acrylic or methacrylic acid interpolymerscan be as low as about 0.01 dg./min. or as high as about 350 dg./min.with a preferred range being about 0.2 to 50 dg./min. and 0.5 todg./min. being most preferred.

It is preferred to use a melt index range of about 0.01 to 500 dg./min.for the ethylene/alkyl acrylate or methacrylate copolymers used in thisinvention although a range of about 0.2 to dg./min. can be used ifdesired. Specific examples of these interpolymers includeethylene-methyl acrylate interpolymer, ethylene-ethyl acrylateinterpolymer, ethylene-methyl methacrylate interpolymer, ethylenebutylacrylate interpolymer, ethyleneisobutyl acrylate interpolymer,ethylene-propyl methacrylate interpolymer, ethylene-butyl methacrylateinterpolymer, ethylene-t-butyl acrylate interpolymer, ethylenet-butylmethacrylate interpolymer, ethylene-hexyl methacrylate interpolymer,ethylene-hexyl acrylate interpolymer, and the like.

Although a range of about 0.01 to 5.0% by weight of amide can be used inthe practice of this invention, it is preferred to use about 0.02 to0.5% with 0.05 to 0.2% being particularly preferred.

The above described a-olefin polymer compositions can be prepared bymixing techniques well known in the art as for example, dry blending,melt extrusion, Banburying and the like.

The compositions are particularly useful in this application for blownfilm and biaxially oriented film but are adaptable to the fabrication offilms made by other techniques such as flat extrusion, solvent casting,and the like.

Melt index determinations were made according to the procedure describedin ASTM D-l23862T (Condition E).

Slip properties were determined by the coefficient of friction testmethod described in ASTM D-l894-63. The values given are units of forcedetermined at a specified time interval after the films were prepared.Values given for each film indicate the coefficient of friction (COF)obtained at the outside of each film, since films were prepared by atubular extrusion process from which the film is taken in tubular form,rolled in collapsed form and then slit into fiat sheets prior totesting.

Blocking properties were determined in accordance with the proceduredescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,028,355 (column 3, lines 50-69).

Bloom is defined as the visible exudation on the surface of a polymer ofan additive present in that polymer. Various explanations have beenproposed for this phenomena. One such explanation given in theEncyclopedia of Polymer Science and Technology, vol. 1, p. 531,Interscience Publishers, NYC, 1964, is: It is usually the result ofincompatability of the additive with the polymer or of exclusion ofadditive or low-molecular-weight polymer upon the onset ofcrystallization of the polymer. Where the additive is a colorant inpolyethylene it has been proposed in Polythene" by A. Renfrew et al., p.424, Interscience Publishers, NYC, 1960, that blooming results from thecreation of a super-saturated solution of colorant in the polymer (orother component of the mix) during compounding with subsequent slowrecrystallization on the surface. The simplest method of detectingblooming in the case of normally transparent films is to wipe thesurface of the film and to examine the film itself for signs ofincreased transparency. Said method was used in evaluating the bloomcharacteristics of the compositions disclosed hereinafter and theratings yes or no used to describe subjective observations made of thefilms prepared from these compositions.

The limitations and criticalities of the components of the a-olefinpolymer composition of this invention are not arbitrary as will be seenfrom an examination of the working examples infra. Thus for example theamide additive component having the formula:

wherein R and R are as defined previously must have an alkenyl radicalas the R component and the total number of carbon atoms in the Rcomponent must be within the range of 18-22 carbon atoms. The Rcomponent must contain at least 3 carbon atoms since amides containingtwo carbon and one carbon divalent hydrocarbon radicals were found to beunsatisfactory for the purposes of this invention. In addition the R andR radicals must be in the position shown in the formula above and cannotbe interchanged. Thus the N atoms of the amide must have R not R as itssubstituents and conversely the --C=O group must have R as itssubstituent which in turn must have a hydroxyl substituent. Thenecessity for this rigorous, definition of the amide additive is due tothe fact that commercially acceptable a-olefin polymer compositions musthave this precise combination of low coelficient of friction, lowblocking force and low blooming characteristics in order to survive inthe current competitive field. Thus prior art additives which have foundready acceptance in less demanding fields, such as for example, stearylerucamide and erucamide satisfy only one or two but not all three of theabove mentioned criteria. As a useful standard in todays a-olefinpolymer market, the coefficient of friction should be preferably 0.3 orlower although values of 0.38 or 0.39 can be tolerated if the othercriteria are outstanding. The blocking force should be 10 or less gramsand the films prepared from these ethylene polymer composition shouldshow no evidence of bloom.

Not only is the structure of the amide additive critical in meeting thistriple standard outlined above but so also is the qualitative andquantitative make-up of the a-olefin polymers themselves. In otherwords, the efiiciency of the amide additives used in this invention isrestricted to those ot-olefin polymers specifically recited. Thus as tothe homopolymers of ethylene useful in this invention they are limitedto so-called low density and medium density polyethylenes. As toethylene copolymers, such as, ethylene/acrylic acid or methacrylic acidcopolymers the amide additives delineated above are effective only withthose copolymers containing about 1 to 10% of acrylic or methacrylicacid copolymerized therein. These unpredictable phenomena can beinterpreted as being due to the complexities involved in achieving acompatible mixture of heterogeneous substances in fine balance so thatthere is just enough migration of additive to the surface of filmsfabricated from the a-olefin polymer compositions to achievesatisfactory slip and blocking properties Without gross migration to thepoint where additive appears on the surface of the film as a readilydetectable dust or bloom. The art has not progressed to a point, despitethe number of products and publications in this field, to predict theparameters established in this invention with any degree of signicantconfidence.

The invention is further described in the examples which follow. Allparts and percentages are by weight unless otherwise specified.

EXAMPLE 1 Preparation of N-oleyl-6-hydroxy caproamide grams (0.0877 mol)of episilon caprolactone and 22.3 g. (0.0935 mol) of oleyl amine werecharged to a 25 x 200 mm. test tube and mixed with a glass stirring rod.The test tube was then heated at 145 C. for 2 hours in a silicone oilbath. The product was then poured into 100 ml. of o-xylene and theresultant solution poured into 200 ml. of acetone whereuponN-oleyl-6-hydroxy caproamide precipitated. This product was recovered byfiltration, washed with acetone, and dried in a vacuum oven. The yieldof N-oleyl-6-hydroxy caproamide amounted to 6.9 grams (2 8.9% yield'based on epsilon-caprolactone charged). The structure of this compound,represented by the formula C H NHCO(CH CH OH, was confirmed by infraredanalysis showing disappearance of the absorption bands at about 5.75microns for epsilon-caprolactone and appearance of an amide absorptionband at about 6.1 to 6.2 microns.

EXAMPLE 2 Preparation of N-erucyl-6-hydroxy caproamide A three liter,round-bottom flask equipped with a stirrer, thermometer and refluxcondenser was charged with 804.15 g. (2.5 mols) of erucyl amine and285.4 g. (2.5 mols) of epsilon-caprolactone and heated -for eight hoursat 80 C. under an atmosphere of nitrogen. Recrystallization of theproduct from isopropanol aiforded a yield of 871.2 g. (79.9%) ofN-erucyl-fi-hydroxy caproamide. This material showed an elementalanalysis of 76.6%, C; 12.6%, H; 3.2%, N; and 7.9%, O which compared favorably with the theoretical values for N-erucyl-G-hydroxy caproamide of76.8%, C; 12.8%, H; 3.2%, N; and 7.25%, O. The observed molecular weightwas 462, the theoretical being 438. The melting point of this productmeasured with a duPont 900 Thermal Analyzer and Differential ScanningColorimeter cell was 86 C.

EXAMPLE 3 Preparation of N-erucyl-3-hydroxy propionamide A 500 ml. 3neck, ball joint flask equipped with a stirrer and apparatus for vacuumdistillation was charged with 129.6 (0.416 mole) of erucyl amide whichwas melted in the flask by raising the temperature to 60 C. The mixturewas stirred rapidly at 60 C. and a pressure of 20 millimeters for 1 hourto remove volatile matter. Then 50 ml. of propyl acetate was added.After this time the distillation apparatus was replaced by a refluxcondenser and a solution of grams (0.416 mole) of betapropiolactone in100 ml. of propyl acetate was added gradually over a 2 hour period at arate of 0.5 to 1.0 ml. per minute at a temperature of 60 C. to 70 C. Anexotherm was observed up about 5 to 10 C. Stirring was continued for anadditional hour after which the reaction mixture was poured into asolvent mixture of 500 ml. of benzene and 300 ml. of acetone. Themixture was cooled to C. at which point a light precipitate developedwhich was filtered and dried in a vacuum oven at 55 C. This product,N-erucyl-6-hydroxy propionamide, was recrystallized from isopropanolaifording 20.6 grams of product. The structure was confirmed from itsinfra-red spectrum which showed strong substituted amide absorptionbands near 6.1 and 6.5 microns and no evidence of carbonyl ester or acidbands at 5.75 or 5.83 microns respectively.

EXAMPLE 4 Preparation on N-erucyl-4-hydroxy butyramide Example 3 wasrepeated with the exception that 50 g. ,(0.58 mole) ofgamma-butyrolactone was substituted for the beta-propiolactone and 180.5g. (0.58 mole) of erucyl amine was used with a total reaction time of 5hours and a reaction temperature of 100 C. In this manner 37 grams ofn-erucyl-4-hydroxy-butyrarnide was obtained.

EXAMPLE 5 Preparation of N-oleyl-4-hydroxy butyramide Example 3 wasrepeated with the exception that 40 grams (6.465 moles) ofgamma-butyrolactone was used in place of the beta-propiolactone and113.2 grams (0.465 mole) of oleyl amine was used in place of the erucylamine at a reaction temperature of C. and a reaction time of 5 hours. Nosolvent was used for the addition of gamma-butyrolactone.Recrystallization afforded 70 grams of n-oleyl-4-hydroxy butyramideEXAMPLE 6 Preparation of N-behenyl-4-hydroxy butyramide Example 3 wasrepeated with the exception that 50 grams (0.581 moles) ofgamma-butyrolactone was used in place of beta-propiolactone and 186.0grams (0.581 mole) of behenyl amine was usoed in place of erucyl amineat a reaction temperature of 100 C. and a reaction time of 5 hours. Nosolvent was used for the addition of gamma-butyrolactone.Recrystallization afforded a yield of 52 grams of n-behenyl-4-hydroxybutyramide.

EXAMPLE 7 Blend of polyethylene and N-erucyl-6-hydroxy caproamide Ablend of polyethylene having a density of 0.922 g./ cc. and a melt indexof 2.0 dg./min. and the N-erucyl-6- hydroxy caproamide prepared inExample 2 was fluxed on a 3" x 6" steamheated, 2 roll mill using a frontroll temperature of 220 F. and a rear roll temperature of F. in a ratiosuflicient to afford a master batch having a concentration of 0.6% ofthe caproamide additive. The blend was then sheeted oil, cooled andgranulated to yield a resin form suitable for melt extrusion. The masterbatch further blended with sufiicient polyethylene as above to afford acaproamide additive concentration of 0.2% based on the total blendcomposition was processed into a film by means of a small blown filmline which employed a 1" National Rubber Machine Corporation extruderhaving a metering screw conventionally used for polyethylene type resinsand a 2" Egan-type tubular die (0.222" die gap). The process conditionsused for the extrusion of film are shown in Table 1.

TABLE 1 Barrel temperature 1 F. 250 Barrel temperature 2 F. 325 Adaptertemperature F. 325 Die temperature F. 350 Screw speed r.p.m 32 Headpressure p.s.i 1,000 Take-off speed ft./min 10 Flat width 6%" Filmthickness mils 1% Screw cooling no Air ring cooling of bubble medium Theblocking, slip and bloom properties were then measured and the dataobtained entered in Table 2 together with Control A which, waspolyethylene alone with no caproamide additive.

EXAMPLES 8-11 Polyethylene-amide blends Using the blending and filmextrusion methods described in Example 7, a series of blends of variousethylene homopolymers and additive amides were prepared and theirblocking, slip and bloom properties measured.

The resultant data together with various controls are also presented inTable 2.

TABLE 2 Example Ethylene Blocking No. polymer Additive identity andpercent COF b force, g. Bloom 7 Pollyeth- N-erucyl-6-hydroxy caproamide,0.2% 0.12 10 N y one ControlA do-.-.-.. None 1.4 200 s dN-oleyl-6-hydroxy caproamide, 0.2% 0.30 10 No N-erucyl-(S-hydroxycaproamide, 0.2% 0.16 10 No N-erucyl-4-hydroxy butyramide 0.1% 0. 24 10No 0.25 10 N0 0.32 34 Yes. 0.10 68 No. 0.38 56 Yes. '7. 0.67 62 No. F doN-erucyl-3-hydroxypropionamlde, 0.1% 0. 68 64 No.

Density=0.922; MI=2.0 dg./min. b Coeflicient of friction measured onoutside, outside surfaces of flattened extmsion tube after 24 hours.Measured on outside, outside surfaces of flattened extrusion tube after24 hours. d Bloom rated subjectively as yes or no. Dens1ty=0.935; MI=1.6rig/min.

EXAMPLES 12-15 Ethylene/acrylic acid copolymer-amide additive blendsEXAMPLE 18 Using the blending and film extrusion methods de-Ethylene/ethyl acrylate copolymer-amide scribed in Example 7, a seriesof blends of ethylene/ additive blends acrylic acid copolymers and amideadditives were prepared and their blocking, slip, and bloom propertiesUsing the blending and film extrusion methods demeasured. The resultantdata together with various conscrbied in Example 3, two blends ofethylene/ethyl trols are presented in Table 3. acrylate copolymer withamide additives were prepared TABLE 3 Example Ethylene Blocking No.polymer Additive identity and percent 0013 b force, g. Bloom dN-behenyl-fi-hydroxy caproamide,0.2% 0.39 10 No. N-oleyl-7-hydroxycaproamide,0.2% 0.34 10 No. N-erncyl-ti-hydroxy caproamide,0.2% 0. 34 10No. N-erucyH-hydroxy bntramide, 0.2% 0. 18 10 No.

( None 0. 86 200 N-ethanol erucamide, 0.2%" 0. 76 176 No Erucamide,0.2%0.82 136 No Oleyl oleamide, 0.2% 37 0. 62 Stearyl erucamidc, 0.2 0.33 24Yes. N-stearyl-6-hydroxy capro 0.65 No. N-ethanol steammide, 0.2% 0.7556 Yes N-erucyl-3-hydroxy propionamide, 0.68 189 No Footnotes (b) (c)(d) are as defined in Table 1. Ethylene/acrylic acid copolymercontaining 4% acrylic acid and having a MI of 6 dg./min.

EXAMPLES 16-17 and their blocking, slip and bloom properties comparedwth Cotol t" ddt' .Th dt e Ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer-anndeadditive blends s g z ammg no a 1 we 686 a 6 ar TABLE 5 Blocking ExampleEthylene force, No. polymer Additive identity and percent COF b g. Bloomd 151mb. N-erncyHi-hydroxy caproamide, 0.5% 0.24 10 No.

on re T Erueamide, 0.6% 0. 18 200 No. U None 2 200 i Ethylene/ethylaerylate copolymer containing 17% ethyl acryiate and having a MI of 6.0dg./1nin. Footnotes (b) (c) (d) are as defined in Table 1.

Using the blending and film extrusion methods de- EXAMPLES 19-21 scribedin Example 3, a series of blends of ethylene/vinyl Ethylene/ acrylicacid copolymer-amide acetate copolymers and amide additives wereprepared ddi i bl d and then" blocking, slip and bloom propertiesmeasured. Using the blending and film extrusion methods The result?!data together with val-1on5 controls are scribed in Example 3, twoblends of ethylene/acrylic acid Presented m Tabls copolymer with amideadditives were prepared and their TABLE 4 Blogking Exam le Ethyleneorce, N0. p copolymer Additive identity COF b g." Bloom d Control O... 2None 1.9 174. 16 hi N- rucyl-fi-hydroxy caproamidc, 0.2% 0.14 10 No.Control:

P Erucamide,0.2% 1.11 12 No. Q N-ethanol stearamide, 0.2% 0.77 32 Yes.17 .i N-erucyl-fi-hydroxy eaproamide, 0.5% 0. 20 10 No. ControErucamide,0.5% 0.46 200 No. S None 72.0 200 Ethylene/vinyl acetatecopolylner having a vinyl acetate content of 3.5% and 21 MI of 0.8rig/min. Ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer having a vinyl acetate contentof 18% and a MI oi 2.0 dgJnnn.

(* Are as defined in Table 1.

blocking, slip and bloom properties compared with a Control containingno additive and with other Controls. These data are presented in Table6.

TABLE 6 Ethylene Example No. polymer Additive identity and percent NoneN-erucyl-fi-hydroxy caproamide, 0.15%--. N -oleyl-6-hydroxy caproamlde,0.15%

Control W. 15

N ethanol oleamide, 0.15% Erucamide, 0.15%

N-erucyl-B-hydroxy propionamide, 0.15%

i Ethylene/acrylic acid copolymer containing 2.1% acrylic acid andhaving an M1 of 3.0 dg./min.

EXAMPLES 22-27 When Example 7 is repeated with the exception that thepolyethylene is replaced by (a) normally solid ethylenepropylenecopolymer containing about 5 to about 7% by weight, based on the totalcopolymer, of propylene copolymerized therein; (b) normally solidpropyleneethylene copolymer containing about 5 to 7% by weight, based onthe total copolymer, of ethylene copolymerized therein; (c) normallysolid polypropylene; (d) normally solid poly(butene-l); (e) normallysolid poly(4-methylpentene-l); (f) normally solid ethylene-butene-lcopolymer containing about 3 to 5% by weight, based on the totalcopolymer, of butene-l copolymerized therein; or (g) normally solidethylene-hexene-l copolymer containing up to about 2% by weight, basedon the total copolymer, of hexene-l copolymerized therein, comparableresults are obtained.

Although the invention has been described in its preferred forms with acertain degree of particularity, it is understood that the presentdisclosure has been made only by way of example, and that numerouschanges can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention.

What is claimed is:

1. a-Olefin polymer compositions for forming films characterized by alow coefiicient of friction, a low blocking force, and no blooming whichcomprises:

(a) a-olefin polymers selected from the group consisting of:

(i) normally solid polymers of at least one olefinically unsaturatedaliphatic hydrocarbon having the formula:

CH2=CHR" wherein R" is a monovalent radical selected from the groupconsisting of hydrogen and alkyl groups containing 1 to about 8 carbonatoms and having a density of about 0.88 to about 0.99;

*(ii) normally solid ethylene/vinyl acetate interpolymers containingabout 1 to 35% by weight of vinyl acetate copolymerized therein;

(iii) normally solid ethylene/acrylic acid interpolymers containingabout 1 to 10% by weight of acrylic acid copolymerized therein;

(iv) normally solid ethylene/methacrylic acid interpolymers containingabout 1 to 10% by weight of methacrylic acid copolymerized therein;

(v) normally solid ethylene/alkyl acrylate interpolymers containingabout 1 to 35% by weight of alkyl acrylatc copolymerized therein,wherein the alkyl group contains 1 to about 6 carbon atoms;

(vi) normally solid ethylene/alkyl methacrylate interpolymers containingabout 1 to 35% by weight of alkyl methacrylate copolymerized therein,wherein the alkyl group contains 1 to about 6 carbon atoms; and

formula Blocking 0 OF force, g. Bloom 0. 67 45 0. 16 10 No. 0. 23 10 N0.

0. 69 41 No." 0. 74 34 N0.

i RNC-ROH wherein R is an alkenyl radical having 18 to about 22 carbonatoms and R is a divalent saturated hydrocarbon radical containing 3 toabout 5 carbon atoms.

2. Composition claimed in claim 1 wherein the a-olefin polymer is anormally solid polymer of at least one olefinically unsaturatedaliphatic hydrocarbon having the formula:

CH -CHR" wherein R is as defined above.

3. Composition claimed in claim 2 wherein the normally solid polymer ispolyethylene having a density of about 0.91 to about 0.96 and a meltindex of about 0.01 to about 1000 dg./min.

4. Composition claimed in claim 1 wherein the u-olefin polymer ispolyethylene.

5. Composition claimed in claim 1 wherein the a-olefin polymer is anethylene/vinyl acetate interpolymer.

6. Composition claimed in claim 1 wherein the a-olefin polymer is anethylene/acrylic acid interpolymer.

7. Composition claimed in claim 1 wherein the a-olefin polymer is anethylene/methacrylic acid interpolymer.

8. Composition claimed in claim 1 wherein the u-olefin polymer is anethylene/alkyl acrylate interpolymer.

9. Composition claimed in claim 1 wherein the a-olefin polymer is anethylene/alkyl methacrylate interpolymet.

10. Composition claimed in claim 1 wherein the amide isN-erucyl-6-hydroxy caproamide.

11. Composition claimed in claim 1 wherein the amide isN-oleyl-6-hydroxy caproamide.

12. Composition claimed in claim 1 wherein the amide isN-erucyl-S-hydroxy valeramide.

13. Composition claimed in claim 1 wherein the amide isN-erucyl-4-hydroxy 'butyramide.

1 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,489,705 1/1970 Zmitrovis260-285 AV 3,518,215 6/1970 Apikos 260.28.5 AV 3,492,258 1/ 1970 Kremer26028.5 AV 3,362,839 1/1968 Weindel 26028.5 AV 2,991,265 7/1961 Clark260--32.6 PO 3,104,232 9/1963 Clark 26032.6 PO 2,234,016 3/1941Woodhouse 260----561 B 2,898,301 8/1959 Mayhew 260-561 B 3,250,7195/1966 Schmolka 260-561 B 3,396,137 8/1968 Wharton 26028.5 A

MORRIS LIEBMAN, Primary Examiner P. R. MICHL, Assistant Examiner 11.8.C1. X.R.

260-326 PQ, 404, 561 B

